Rauma Marine Constructions’ growth story continues with new management

Tue, Nov 28, 2017 12:08 CET

Shipbuilding company Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) has appointed the chairman of the board, Jyrki Heinimaa, to be the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) from 01.12.2017 onwards. In addition to Heinimaa, RMC has also elected a new COO, chairman of the board and member of the board. Organizational changes are a part of the company’s new growth phase, with ambitions that include the deal for the Squadron 2020-project, business growth, the strengthening of RMC’s unique know-how, as well as continued development of the network-based business model.

“Rauma Marine Constructions’ growth story has been phenomenal from the beginning,” says Jyrki Heinimaa, incoming CEO, Rauma Marine Constructions. “The changes in management are a natural consequence of the next growth phase of the company. At this stage, the challenges the company faces are different from those at the start-up phase. It is, therefore, the right time to strengthen and develop the management of RMC according to the requirements set by the new phase. Private sector funding has a crucial role to play in enabling growth, and ensuring private funding in future projects will be essential to RMC’s growth.”

Most recently, Heinimaa was the Group CEO of the Hollming group of companies. Prior to this, Heinimaa’s career includes many years in the shipbuilding industry, holding management positions in ship finance, in particular.

As a part of the larger organizational change, there will be a number of other new names in RMC’s management. Timo Suistio, CEO, BMH Technology, has been appointed to the new COO position. Suistio’s strong project management skills will support the company’s direction towards larger and more challenging ship projects. Current member of the board and CEO of Vientistrategit Oy, Mikko Niini, will become the new chairman of the board. Furthermore, the board has appointed a new member, Pekka Vataja, previously the director of Danske Bank’s large companies unit, and one of the founding partners of Sagacitas Finance Partners.

“Having overcome the shipbuilding crisis and successfully managed the start of a new company, I now feel it is time to leave my position as CEO, and leave the strong company that RMC has now become. I will be following RMC’s future development with great interest and excitement,” says Pöntynen.

Heinimaa thanks Pöntynen for his determined and successful managing of the business.

“During his time as CEO, the company has grown and developed into a shipbuilding company that is now aiming to secure a billion-euro shipbuilding contract with the Finnish Defence Forces,” says Heinimaa.

In other news, the construction of the car and passenger ferry for Danish shipping company, Molslinjen A/S, is proceeding as planned at Rauma Marine Constructions. The 158-meter ferry will be launched at the shipyard before Christmas. The refurbishment and modernization of the Finnish Environment Institute’s (SYKE) marine research vessel, ‘Aranda’, is also underway at the shipyard. The repairs will involve a seven-meter extension to the vessel, as well as the implementation of an all-electric power transmission, which will enable the underwater noise emitted by the ship to be significantly reduced.

Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) is a wholly Finnish-owned shipbuilding company, formed in summer 2014, in Rauma. RMC specializes in building and servicing multipurpose icebreakers, car and passenger ferries and naval vessels. More information available at www.rmcfinland.fi.